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Warning sirens


Being prepared when disaster strikes can help save lives and property, prevent injury and decrease the cost of recovery. One part of being prepared in Tulsa is knowing what the City's warning siren system is telling you when the sirens sound. The 82 sirens, each of which can be heard for up to a 1-mile radius, are designed to alert anyone outdoors to take cover and/or to seek more information.

There are three types of sounds.

  • First is the three-minute "steady" tone. It is used to warn both of impending tornadoes, and of chemical releases into the atmosphere. The steady tone is a one-note tone. The only change in sound during the three-minute period may be an increase or decrease in volume that is caused by a change in wind direction or velocity. (Hearing the steady-tone siren during pleasant weather may be a signal to protect yourself from hazardous materials which can be released by industrial or transportation system accidents. Depending on the material involved, and on wind and weather conditions, a hazard may be posed for a small area or a large area of the community.)

  • Second is the three-minute "wavering" tone – similar to the "wailing" sound made by many police and fire vehicles on emergency missions. That signal is used only to warn of military attacks.

  • Third is the three-minute "high-low" tone – like that used by many European ambulances and police vehicles and occasionally by emergency vehicles in this country. It warns of impending flooding.

The sirens are only a part of Tulsa's warning systems which include local news media, NOAA Weather Radios (radios that are tuned to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's broadcast alert frequencies), and even some local wireless phone and pager services.

Upon hearing either the "steady" or "wavering" sirens, citizens should seek shelter and tune in to local radio or television outlets for additional information. Upon hearing the high-low flood warning, citizens should avoid low-lying areas or any areas where flooding is likely to occur, and access local media for further information. When flood warnings are in effect, motorists should drive with caution and avoid driving in areas where water obscures road boundaries.